In its 36-page report titled ‘Humanity Must Win: Defending rights, tackling repression at the 2026 FIFA World Cup’,, external Amnesty calls on the host nations’ governments to “meet their obligations beneath worldwide human rights legislation, whereas Fifa, nationwide FAs and sponsors all have clear tasks to respect human rights…”
“The US authorities has deported greater than 500,000 folks from the USA in 2025, greater than six occasions as many individuals than will watch the World Cup remaining within the MetLife Stadium”, mentioned Amnesty’s head of financial and social justice Steve Cockburn.
“…It is a deeply troubling time within the US, which will definitely lengthen to followers who wish to participate in World Cup celebrations.”
Final month, the appearing head of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) mentioned that the company is “a key a part of the general safety equipment for the World Cup”, vowing it was “devoted to making sure that everybody that visits the amenities could have a secure and safe occasion”.
Earlier this 12 months, ICE brokers shot and killed two Americans as a part of US president Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
Trump has despatched federal brokers, in addition to the Nationwide Guard, to main US cities over the previous 12 months to make good on his marketing campaign promise to crack down on unlawful immigration. They’ve been met with protests and authorized challenges in Democrat-led cities like Portland, Los Angeles and Chicago.
“Regardless of the astounding numbers of arrests and deportations, neither Fifa nor the US authorities have supplied any ensures that followers and native communities will likely be secure from ethnic and racial profiling, indiscriminate raids, or illegal detention and deportation,” mentioned Cockburn.
“Solely 4 of the 16 host cities have to date revealed their human rights plans, and none of people who have achieved so to this point say something about safety from abusive immigration enforcement.
“This World Cup is now not the ‘medium threat’ event that Fifa as soon as judged it to be – whether or not it’s to guard folks from ICE, assure the proper to protest or forestall homelessness, pressing motion is required to verify the truth of this World Cup matches its authentic promise.”
Amnesty says that ICE and different businesses “pose a chilling menace to folks residing within the US, these touring to see a sport, and gamers themselves”.
It added: “Followers face intrusive surveillance, with proposals to power guests to make their social media accounts out there for vetting, and screening for “anti-Americanism”.
In January, fan group Soccer Supporters Europe (FSE) informed BBC Sport it was “extraordinarily involved by the continued militarisation of police forces within the US” earlier than the World Cup”.
On the time, Fifa mentioned the protection and safety of followers and contributors was its “high precedence”, including it really works intently with native authorities “to plan, co-ordinate and ship complete safety measures for the event”.
The White Home’s World Cup Process Power mentioned that the event will likely be “the most important, most secure, and most welcoming sporting occasion in historical past” and that it was working to ship an occasion “that highlights America’s hospitality, dedication to safety, and spirit of excellence”. It promised that followers “can sit up for a easy, safe, and really unforgettable event”.
Amnesty highlights Mexico’s response to excessive ranges of drug cartel violence, which it says is “elevating dangers for folks protesting”. Earlier this month the World Cup co-host introduced plans to deploy nearly 100,000 security personnel to protect fans at this summer’s tournament.
And the marketing campaign group additionally claims that in Canada, a rising housing disaster has “raised fears that individuals experiencing homelessness will once more be displaced and pushed additional to the margins”.
Fifa has been approached for remark.
